A Pentagon Tungsten Rule Is Seven Weeks Out, and a New Mexico Explorer Has Its Drill Plan

News Provided by USA News Group on behalf of Western Star Resources Inc.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA News Group News Commentary - On January 1, 2027, a Pentagon contract clause starts reaching all the way back to the mine. From that date, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement clause 252.225-7052 extends its restriction on tungsten metal powder and tungsten heavy alloy from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea to include the mining or production of tungsten ore or feedstock, and the U.S. Geological Survey says tungsten has not been mined commercially in the United States since 2015. With that date about seven weeks out, a tungsten explorer in New Mexico has positioned its planned drill holes along a contact it traced beneath cover. Companies mentioned in today’s commentary include: Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2), Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA), Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN), ATI Inc. (NYSE: ATI), Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL).

Key Takeaways

• A deadline already in the contract clause: from January 1, 2027, the DFARS 252.225-7052 restriction on tungsten metal powder and tungsten heavy alloy from China, Russia, Iran or North Korea includes the mining or production of tungsten ore or feedstock, and Executive Order 14415 directs that waivers under 10 U.S.C. 4872(c)(1) cease on that date, except where a contractor submits a formal mitigation plan accepted by the Secretary or his designee.
  
• No domestic mine supply: the USGS says tungsten has not been mined commercially in the U.S. since 2015 and lists net import reliance above 50% of apparent consumption.
  
• A contact traced under cover: Western Star Resources’ drone magnetic survey at its Eagle Point Tungsten Project in New Mexico traced the interpreted skarn-hosting granite-limestone contact for approximately 3 kilometres, including across the western part of the property, where it projects beneath shallow cover.
  
• Drill holes positioned on the contact: the company’s planned 17-hole, approximately 1,850-metre program has been positioned on that interpreted contact, with six holes stepping out up to approximately 400 metres north-west of the historical workings.
  

A Rule That Reaches Back to the Ore

The clause text, dated May 2024, already carries the January 1, 2027 date, and in July a waiver deadline was set for the same day. Executive Order 14415, signed July 20, 2026, directs that on January 1, 2027, the Secretary of War and the Secretaries of the military departments cease to issue waivers under 10 U.S.C. 4872(c)(1) for the acquisition of covered materials under 10 U.S.C. 4872, except where a prime contractor or subcontractor submits a formal mitigation plan accepted by the Secretary or his designee. The order also says a prime contractor’s or subcontractor’s failure to qualify a domestic source of covered material shall not constitute non-availability for purposes of such a waiver, except where it demonstrates active, adequately funded and ongoing efforts to qualify a domestic source.

The supply side has a lot of ground to cover. In its Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, the USGS shows zero U.S. tungsten mine production for each year from 2021 through 2025 (2025 estimated), lists China as the world’s leading producer of tungsten concentrates, and notes that China implemented new export controls on selected tungsten items in February 2025. The same report says multiple projects received awards under Defense Production Act Title III.

Following a Contact Under Cover in New Mexico

Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2) has completed a high-resolution drone magnetic survey covering approximately 4.9 square kilometres over the southern and western parts of its 100%-owned Eagle Point Tungsten Project in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Tungsten skarns form where a granitic intrusion is emplaced into a carbonate sequence, so the contact between the intrusion and the carbonate host is the primary exploration target. At Eagle Point, the company’s August 2026 mapping identified scheelite-bearing skarn developed along the contact between intrusive granite and Horquilla limestone, but extensive talus cover obscures much of it.

Mapping that contact beneath cover was the principal objective of the survey. A broad, arcuate magnetic high is interpreted to reflect the granite, bounded to the north-west by a sharp gradient against a magnetically quiet domain that corresponds to the limestone. The company interprets that gradient to approximate the skarn-hosting contact and traces it for approximately 3 kilometres, curving from the north-eastern part of the survey south-west across the western part of the property, where it projects beneath shallow cover and cannot be mapped at surface. The historical Eagle Point workings and the principal skarn exposure the company sampled in August sit at the southern end of the interpreted contact.

“The drone survey has done exactly what we needed it to do at Eagle Point,” said Blake Morgan, the CEO and President of Western Star.

The interpretation has been incorporated into the company’s three-dimensional Leapfrog Geo model, and the planned 17-hole, approximately 1,850-metre (6,070-foot) drill program has been positioned on the interpreted contact, with six holes stepping out up to approximately 400 metres north-west of the historical workings to test it beneath talus cover. On October 22, a 43 CFR 3809 Exploration Notice was submitted on the company’s behalf to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Las Cruces District Office for the program, which the company believes will be the first drilling at Eagle Point in more than 70 years. Its first modern assays from the project, reported in October, showed fourteen of 23 surface samples returning more than 0.10% WO3, including grab samples of up to 0.55% WO3. Next, the company plans to extend mapping and sampling north-west along the interpreted contact, including the historical trenches.

“With the contact mapped and the 3D model updated, we are going into the maiden drill program with a much clearer picture of where to put the holes,” Mr. Morgan said.

CONTINUED... Read this and more news for Western Star Resources Inc. at: usanewsgroup.com

Elsewhere in U.S. Strategic Materials

Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA) announced on October 26 a new 36-month, $40 million award through the U.S. Army’s Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of producing tungsten concentrate at the historical Stibnite Mining District in Idaho. Perpetua will match the Army’s $40 million contribution, and the company noted that only the first phase of funding has been committed, and approval will be required for each incremental phase of additional funding. The award brings total U.S. Government awards to Perpetua for critical minerals to $126 million since 2022.

“Resilient mineral solutions start here in America,” said Jon Cherry, Perpetua Resources President & CEO. “The U.S. Army's additional investment in a historically proven American tungsten source at Stibnite underscores the growing strategic value of Stibnite's mineral endowment and continues to strengthen the partnerships supporting Perpetua's future. Historical production and recent exploration results suggest Stibnite has the potential to be one of the world's highest-grade tungsten sources.”

Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN), whose expertise includes beryllium and beryllium composites, reported record third-quarter 2026 results on November 4. Value-added sales were $313.7 million, up 19% from the prior year period, driven by record quarterly semiconductor sales and significant growth across aerospace & defense and telecom & data center end markets, and the company raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to $7.10 to $7.40.

“Our third quarter results demonstrate the power of our advanced materials portfolio and the strong momentum building across the company. The team’s commitment to delivering for our customers across diverse end markets drove double-digit growth in each business segment and resulted in another quarter of record sales and earnings,” said Jugal Vijayvargiya, President & CEO of Materion.

ATI Inc. (NYSE: ATI) reported third-quarter 2026 sales of $1.42 billion on October 29, up 26% year-over-year, and said aerospace & defense sales represented 94% of total sales in its High Performance Materials & Components segment. The company raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guide by $35 million to $1.195 billion.

“We had a strong third quarter, exceeding the high-end of our guidance. We are raising our full-year outlook for adjusted EBITDA by $35 million. This follows the $125 million increase in our outlook just last quarter,” said Kimberly A. Fields, Board Chair, President and CEO.

Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) reported third-quarter 2026 revenue from continuing operations of $395 million on November 3 and record quarterly free cash flow from continuing operations of $151 million. The company also said that at September 30, 2026, the dry-stack tailings facility at Greens Creek held an estimated 10.7 million tons of material containing silver, gold and additional critical minerals, while noting that this material is not a mineral resource or mineral reserve and that any recovery would depend on further testing, a suitable processing arrangement and favorable economics.

Rob Krcmarov, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our third quarter results reflect the strength of the platform we have built, and we are well positioned to achieve our 2026 guidance. We generated record free cash flow of $151 million, led by Greens Creek's record $147 million.”

Track the Signals Before the Crowd

Critical-minerals names can move on a defense award, a permit filing or a survey result, and attention often builds before the crowd notices. Eagle Eye is a real-time investor signal-intelligence platform that surfaces sentiment shifts, news flow and trending tickers as they form. Watch it live at eagle-eye.dev.

Article Source: Western Star Resources Inc. news releases dated November 11, October 27 and October 7, 2026.

Contact Information:
usanewsgroup.com
Media Contact: info@usanewsgroup.com

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor a recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances.

This article is being distributed by USA News Group, which is wholly owned and operated by Market Equities Limited (“MEL”), a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland. MEL has been paid a fee directly by Western Star Resources Inc. under an Investor Awareness Agreement dated September 11, 2026, under which the services to be provided by MEL include branding services, communications, advisory and general consulting services, as disclosed in the Company’s news release of that date. MEL also expects to receive further compensation as part of an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company. No further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, has been reviewed and approved by Western Star Resources Inc. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision.

MEL and its owners, operators, directors, and affiliates do not own any shares of Western Star Resources Inc. As disclosed in the Company’s news release dated September 11, 2026: “MEL and the Company are not related parties and operate at arm’s length. Neither MEL nor its principals have any interest in the Company’s securities, directly or indirectly, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest.” There may also be third parties who hold shares of Western Star Resources Inc. and may liquidate their shares, which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock.

While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in this publication is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful: investing in securities carries a high degree of risk, and you may lose some or all of your investment.

Cautionary Note Regarding Exploration Results and Technical Information. No Mineral Resource has been established at the Eagle Point Tungsten Project. Magnetic surveys measure a physical rock property and do not detect tungsten; scheelite is not magnetic, and the interpreted granite-limestone contact and related targets described in this article are conceptual exploration targets that require confirmation by drilling. A magnetic anomaly or gradient is not evidence of mineralization. Grab and surface samples are selective by nature and are not necessarily representative of the mineralization on the property. Historical workings and historical data referenced by the Company have not been verified by a Qualified Person and should not be relied upon. The planned drill program has not commenced and remains subject to regulatory review, permitting, contractor availability and other factors. According to the Company, the scientific and technical information in its November 11, 2026 news release has been reviewed and approved by Jasper Mowatt, MIMMM, MAusIMM, a consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, who is not independent of the Company; the Qualified Person has not reviewed or approved this article. Results and disclosures of other companies referenced in this article are as reported by those companies and are not indicative of results at any Western Star Resources Inc. property; the Greens Creek tailings material referenced is not a mineral resource or mineral reserve, as stated by Hecla Mining Company. References to federal regulations and executive orders are provided as context only and do not imply that Western Star Resources Inc. will receive any government contract, award or benefit. Readers should review the Company’s filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this article.

Eagle Eye Disclosure. Eagle Eye is an investor signal-intelligence platform affiliated with the publisher of this article, and this reference constitutes promotion of an affiliated product. Eagle Eye is not a broker-dealer, and nothing in the platform or in this article is financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Data provided in the platform is for informational purposes only and may be delayed. Always do your own research before making any investment decision.

Forward-Looking Statements: This publication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected”, “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on SEDAR+ or with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this publication are made as of the date hereof and MEL undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

SOURCE USA News Group